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Business Outlook Hits 3-Year High; Students evaluate drug stigma

Courtesy of Middle Tennessee State University

Here's the latest news from Middle Tennessee State University.

Tennessee business leaders are significantly more positive about economic conditions in the fall and winter, according to results of the latest Tennessee Business Barometer survey from the Jones College of Business at Middle Tennessee State University.

The latest national index, which measures business leaders' perceptions of the current and future economy, returned a score of 476, up 33 points from the spring survey. The first survey in July 2015 showed an index of 325.

“Business sentiment continues to improve and is now at a three-year high of 42%. That's in contrast to Tennessee consumers, whose positive sentiment is just 17%, noted Michael Peasley, assistant professor of marketing and director of the university's Office of Consumer Research, which monitors the index. “Tennessee business leaders appear to be more positive and optimistic about the current and future health of the economy.”

Conducted in collaboration with the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Tennessee Business Barometer is an online opinion survey that now tracks an overall index and three sub-indices: current outlook, future outlook and business/firm performance.

The index scores are calculated from the percentages of positive and negative responses to more than a dozen questions about perceptions of the economy.

Other highlights of the survey include:

• 43% of business leaders expect economic conditions to improve in the next 12 months.

• 49% of business leaders believe economic conditions in their industry are good, and 46% expect conditions to improve in the next 12 months.

Peasley also noted that business leaders' concerns have eased.

“Tennessee business leaders provided feedback on many challenges and key indicators for predicting economic growth related to inflation, staffing, etc. While recession fears have increased slightly and are now above 50%, concerns about inflation, taxes and staffing have increased declined in the last year,” he noted.

Survey results show:

• Nearly 60% of business leaders said they expect company sales to increase this year (8.7% expect a decline).

• 43.5% of business leaders said they expect their company's inventory levels to increase this year (9% expect a decrease).

• 44.6% of business leaders said their headcount will increase this year, while about 10% said their headcount will decrease and 42% said it will stay the same.

To view the full Tennessee Business Barometer survey report and previous reports, visit https://bit.ly/2GZvO7U.

Public health students survey people to assess the stigma surrounding drug addiction

Students in the MTSU Public Health program recently completed a three-year analysis of drug use stigma among people in rural communities in collaboration with the MTSU Center for Health and Human Services.

The data collection project was federally funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) through the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, which funds various grant programs each year to assist in the prevention and treatment of opioid use disorders among people in rural areas.

For the third consecutive year, student volunteers were tasked with surveying a random sample of attendees at the Wilson County Fair-Tennessee State Fair, held each August, about their thoughts and perceptions toward people struggling with addiction.

Student volunteers who collected data during this year's fair include Augustine Afriyie, Tess Swastek, .Pragya, Xaviera Gladden, Anakarina Lorenzana-DeWitt and Benjamin Antwi.

“Our focus has been on Wilson County, where we have worked closely with community partners such as the Drug-Free WilCo Coalition and Mt. Juliet-based addiction treatment provider Cedar Recovery,” said Kahler Stone, associate professor of public health.

The comprehensive report on the stigma of drug addiction, which will be completed in early 2025, has provided MTSU students in recent years with hands-on opportunities to put their public health education into action.

The reports aim to measure stigmatization of people who use drugs, with the aim of tracking changes over time and developing education that destigmatizes those who may struggle with addiction. Although progress has been made in combating stigma, it remains a challenge for the community at large and law enforcement.

“Stigma can impact how and whether others seek support for themselves or someone they know. It can also impact what resources are made available by the government based on elections and voter interests,” said Swastek, who is pursuing a master’s in public health with a concentration in community health.

The perceived negative stigma can also prevent addicts from seeking much-needed medical care, said Afriyie, who is pursuing a doctorate in human performance.

The annual project not only collects valuable data, but also offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience through community engagement.

Content on MTSU Mondays is provided by submissions from MTSU News and Media Relations.

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